The association between frailty and incident cardiovascular disease events in community-dwelling healthy older adults

This study examined the association between frailty and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), and CVD-related mortality. Longitudinal cohort study. The ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) clinical trial in Australia and the United States. 19,114 community-dwelling older adults (median age 74.0 years; 56.4 % females). Pre-frailty and frailty were assessed using a modified Fried phenotype and a deficit accumulation Frailty Index (FI) at baseline. CVD was defined as a composite of CVD death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, and hospitalization for heart failure; MACE included all except heart failure. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to analyze the association between frailty and CVD outcomes over a median follow-up of 4.7 years. Baseline pre-frail and frail groups had a higher risk of incident CVD events (Hazard Ratio (HR): 1.31; 95 % Confidence Interval (CI): 1.14–1.50 for pre-frail and HR: 1.63; 95 % CI: 1.15–2.32 for frail) and MACE (pre-frail HR: 1.26; 95 % CI: 1.08–1.47 and frail HR: 1.51; 95 % CI: 1.00–2.29) than non-frail participants according to Fried phenotype after adjusting for traditional CVD risk factors. Effect sizes were similar or larger when frailty was assessed with FI; similar results for men and women. Frailty increases the likelihood of developing CVD, including MACE, in community-dwelling older men and women without prior CVD events. Screening for frailty using Fried or FI method could help identify community-dwelling older adults without prior CVD events who are more likely to develop CVD, including MACE, and may facilitate targeted preventive measures to reduce their risk. •Fried phenotype/FI-defined pre-frail/frail older adults have a higher CVD event risk than non-frail persons.•Frail individuals have a double to triple likelihood of CVD mortality even after accounting for traditional CVD risk factors.•Addressing frailty in older adults, a novel CVD risk factor, may improve prevention strategies.